Methylobacillus pratensis sp nov., a novel non-pigmented, aerobic, obligately methylotrophic bacterium isolated from meadow grass

Strain F31(T) was isolated from meadow grass (Poa trivialis L.) sampled from the city park in Helsinki. Analysis of phenotypic and genotypic properties showed the strain to be related to the group of obligately methylotrophic non-methane utilizing bacteria (methylobacteria) with the ribulose monophosphate pathway of formaldehyde assimilation. Phylogenetic analysis showed the strain to be closely related to the genus Methylobacillus, and analysis of fatty acid composition confirmed this association. Thus, on the basis of its genotypic and phenotypic properties, the isolate is proposed as a novel species of the genus Methylobacillus, Methylobacillus pratensis sp. nov., with F31(T) as the type strain ( = VKM B-2247(T) = NCIMB 13994(T)).